Identifying tag or check.



No. 670,027. l Patented Mar. I9, I90I.

E. MALMBERG.

DENTIFYING TAG 0B CHECK.

(Application led Oct. 4, 1900.)

(lo Modal.)

Urt-tren Arns PATENT trice.

EDWARD MALMBERG, OF AUSTIN, PENNSYLVANIA.

IDENTIFYING TAG OR CHECK.4

`SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 670,027, dated March19, 1901.

Application tiled October 4, 1900. Serial No. 82,038. @lo model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD MALMBERG, a citizen of the United States,residing at Austin, in the county of Potterand State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and useful Identifying Tag or Check, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to checks for application to hats, coats,overshoes, and the like when left in the cloak-rooms of hotels,theaters, and similar places, and has for its ob' ject to provide animproved device of this character which may be conveniently applied toand removed from the article Without per foi-ating or otherwise damagingthe latter.

With this and other objects in view the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter morefully described, shown in the accompanyin g drawings,and particularlypointed out in the appended claim, it. being understood that changes inthe form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within thescope of the claim without departing from the spirit or sacrificing anyof the advantages of the invention.

ln the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation ot' an overshoe having theimproved check applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view ofthe check. Fig. 3 is a oentral longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Corresponding parts are designated by like characters of reference inall of the figures of the drawings.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, it will be seenthat the present device comprises a thin flat body or back l, the outerside of which is free from projections. At one end of this iiat plateare the opposite short longitudinal ilanges 2, which are of the samelength and have their inner ends beveled downwardly, as indicated at 3.Extending across the adjacent end of the plate or body is an end flange4, the opposite ends of which merge into the other flanges, therebyforming an open-sided boX at one end Aof the body. Disposedlongitudinally of the flanged side of the body is a rocking tongue 5,which has its rear end reduced in width, so as to form a finger-piece 6,which is loosely received between the flanges of the body. The majorportion of this tongue is of the same width as the body, and both of themembers have their cooperating inner faces corrugated or roughened, asindicated at 7. By the reduction in width of the linger-pieceoutwardly-directed shoulders 8 are formed at opposite sides of the baseorinnerend thereof, and the inner faces of these shoulders are beveledor inclined, so as to correspond to the beveled ends of the respectiveside flanges. Slightly in advance of the shoulders and alinedtransversely of the finger-piece are the bearing-ears 9, formed byperforate integral projections upon the inner side of the finger-4piece, and a transverse pivot-pin or hingepintle l0 is passed throughthe side fianges and the bearing-ears, so as to hingedly connect thebody and the tongue, thereby forming intermediately pivotally connectedjaws. A suitable spring l1 is interposed between the body and thefinger-piece, so as to bear in opposite directions thereagainst, andthereby force the opposite ends of the members together. By thisarrangement the spring is conveniently housed and protected by theiianges and the finger-piece.

Either or both external sides of the check ,are provided with a suitableidentifying inscription l2, such as the name of a person or a number, sothat it may be eectively displayed. It is preferable to have theinscription upon the tongue, as the latter is usually the front of thedevice and forms the tag or check proper, which is pivoted intermediateof its ends to cooperate with the back or body, and thereby form a claspfor engagement with the article to be tagged or checked.

The application of the check has been shown in Fig. l of the drawings,in which 13 designates an ordinary overshoe to the upper edge of whichthe check is applied by receiving the same between the jaws or membersof the device. Ordinarily the check is applied so as to embrace theadjacent portions of a pair of overshoes, so that a single check will besufficient. It will now be apparent that the finger-piece is housed bythe iianges of the body, so as to prevent the tongue from beingaccidentally forced away from the body, as this is possible only bypressing directly against the outer side of the finger-piece, so as toforce the latter inwardly between the anges.

l'OO

Ordinarily the thumb n is pressed aga-inst the finger-piece to open thejaws of the check and the tongue is preferably the outer side of thedevice, so that the finger-piece may be accessible when applied to anarticle. Instead of the oblong shape shown in the drawings other shapesor designs may be employed, and the device may loe ornamented in anydesired manner.

What is claimed is-v A check of the character described, comprising aback, having opposite longitudinal side flanges at one end thereof, andan end ange extending between the side flanges, a tongue, having one endreduced in width to form a finger-piece, which is loosely receivedbetween the flanges and is flush with the outer sides thereof,transversely alined bearingears projecting at the inner side ofthefingerpiece, a pivot-pin extending through the side flanges and thebearing-ears, a spring between the inger-piece and the hack, and anidentifying inscription carried by the outer side of the tongue.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD MALMBERG.

Witnesses:

CHARLY RYDIN, JOHN OBRIEN.

